


six ounces of sweetness

by princevector



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V
Genre: Alcohol, M/M, nothing too major, ygoshipolympics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-25
Updated: 2015-06-25
Packaged: 2018-04-06 03:23:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4206072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/princevector/pseuds/princevector
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Sawatari fumbles for success... and words.</p>
            </blockquote>





	six ounces of sweetness

**Author's Note:**

> My Dartshipping submission for the YGO Ship Olympics! Good luck everyone! Please enjoy this fic!

**Chocolate Heart**

  * 1 oz white creme de cacao
  * 1/2 oz hazelnut liquor
  * 1/2 oz coffee liquor
  * 3 oz cream
  * 1 maraschino cherry



* * *

 

A man walks into a bar – Yes, Sawatari realizes the potential for the start of an amazing joke, but that is not how this story begins.

It begins with a quiet night, pre-opening hours of his bar, when the first new customer of the night arrives. His content humming comes to a grinding halt - gotta play it smooth, you know? - and he offers the grin that he's grown famous for. He's known as the rising star in Maiami City's bar scene – Neo New Sawatari, the infamous bartender who’s captured the hearts of bar goers of all drinking ages alike.

(At least, his incredible self-confidence lets him believe that.)

In all honesty, customers usually come for the spectacular drinks first, the entertainment second. It wasn’t that Sawatari was horrific at entertaining the masses, it was more so that his jokes always landed as flat as a day-old drink (although from the rumors, his drinks were far better than his jokes.)

Or at least, that’s what Yuuya thinks as he steps into the infamous bar for the first time. The outside flashing neon sign that read Neo New Sawatari’s (which Yuuya thought was a little more than arrogant), nearly took him by surprise, causing him to rub his eyes in slight distress as he stepped onto the wooden floors of the bars. Yuuya blinks once, twice, three times, before his red eyes open to a surprisingly, dare he say, modestly designed bar setup - quite the opposite of the garish decor outside, which he was still reeling from. Why couldn’t both the inside and outside be this beautifully designed?

Ah well. Yuuya sits atop one of the red bar stools (a color he quite likes) and eyes the bartender with interest. The bartender is in the middle of entertaining another group of customers with his self-proclaimed dart skills, and Yuuya watches on with mild amusement. As an entertainer himself, it is in his best interest to watch the skills of others as a way of judging, well, potential competition.

“And then, it’s like this—!” The bartender, while still rambling to the masses surrounding both sides, elegantly tosses a dart with as much precision as Yuuya has ever seen. He can’t deny that he’s impressed, leaning forward against the bar frame and propping his chin on his hands.

It’s a perfect bullseye. The small crowd erupts into cheers, the sounds of Sawatari’s thank you’s being drowned out in the process.

Yes, Yuuya is impressed, but not by this man’s personality. That was a trait to be desired, and while his dart skills could easily convince the latter, Yuuya did not come for a game of darts. No, it was much more important than that.

He came here to see the infamous bartending skills he’s heard so much about.

“Welcome, beloved customer! My name is Shingo Sawatari, and this is-”

“Neo New Sawatari’s, correct?” Yuuya smiles, going along with the act. He leans in further, as to continually express his interest— which so far hasn’t quite been caught yet. “I came here because I heard a rumor that you made a mean drink.”

Sawatari cocks his head to the side, still wearing that obnoxious smirk. “Oho, now there’s no need to lie! Surely you want to see more of my amazing dart skills—“

“I just saw them. Quite impressive. But that is not what I came here for.” Yuuya offers a challenging look, still rather playful because he never means any harm. All he wants is to offer a fun and entertaining time, and he wants others to do the same. Barhopping began with this very idea, trying to see who offered not only the best entertainment, but also the best drinks in Maiami City.

Sawatari, on the other hand, looks a little more than peeved. Not that he wanted to smack this newcomer upside the head, but he certainly wanted to show this little redhead (who wasn’t really a redhead), a thing or two about bartending. Fine then. He is more than capable of impressing anyone, hence the large crowd still gathered around him.

Sawatari steps behind the bar, throwing on his apron, and leans one arm against the counter, presenting himself closely to the newcomer.

“Well then, sir, what can I get you to drink?” The bartender taps three times on the counter, gesturing widely towards the wall that was lined with liquors. He wanted to offer not only entertainment to this… person (he swore he’d get this guy’s name eventually), but also a fun challenge. He’d wait though, to see what this customer would order.

“Call me Yuuya, no need for the formalities,” retorts Yuuya calmly and picks up the drink listing, red eyes glazing over the available options. So many fancy drinks. Impressive.

Eventually, he selects a drink that’s uncommon for a typical bar menu and slides the menu forward, smirking.

“Can you whip me up a Chocolate Heart?”

Sawatari raises an eyebrow, stifling a laugh behind a hand. “That’s a Valentine’s Day Special, and it ain’t Valentine’s—“

“I know, but it’s what you’ve become famous for, isn’t it?” It’s Yuuya’s turn to tap the bar a few times, a bit more impatiently now. “But if you don’t want to accept a challenge from a newcomer, then I’ll just leave—“

“Now hold on a sec!” Sawatari shakes his head, pinches the bridge of his nose, and lets out an exasperated sigh. “I can make the drink, it’s just— I don’t get a lot of orders for that outside of Valentine’s Day, got it? I’ll make it, and I’ll make it better than before! Just you wait and see!”

Yuuya blinks a few times before finally settling in to watch the creation of this spectacular drink. It’s a unique mix, filled with sweet ingredients that are usually considered a turnoff to most people. Creme de cacao, hazelnut liquor, coffee liquor, and cream together is a sweet sensation reserved for the newbies of the drinking world. Still, Yuuya enjoys the sweeter spectrum of alcoholic beverages. It just makes for more fun, he believes, but not many people seem to fully understand his perspective.

The way Sawatari shakes and mixes up a drink is certainly entertainment in itself. Other customers have gathered around the countertop, watching the process with twinkles in their eyes and huge smiles plastered on their faces. Yuuya glances around, and he soon realizes that everyone truly is watching an entertaining performance. He too finds himself smiling slightly, glancing over at the spotlight that is Shingo Sawatari.

It’s all complete when the single maraschino cherry is placed atop the drink, delicately managing to stay afloat the slightly frothy surface. Only a bartender with exceptional skills could pull off such a trick. Sawatari wipes his hands before carefully sliding the glass over and in front of Yuuya, offering a challenging smirk.

“One Chocolate Heart,” he says, and adds in his part of the challenge. “Consider it on the house because I’m absolutely certain you’ll love it, just as you’ll love this bar and myself.”

Yuuya rolls his eyes and resists letting out a mixture of a snort and a laugh, opting to take the first taste of this concoction. He brings the glass to his lips, letting the frothy mixture hit his tongue in a sweet rush that can only be described as intense. The mixture of chocolate, coffee, and hazelnut liquors is flavorful yet not overwhelming. The creme is rich and mostly adds to the frothiness of the drink, giving it a delightful texture that’s all too fitting for such a sweet surprise.

Sawatari is cleaning glasses, casually talking to the other customers, all while observing Yuuya’s subtle reactions. Of course he’s impressed by specialty, he reassures himself, putting down the now clean glass and leaning in front of him. He’s evidently so immersed in Yuuya’s expressions that the dishcloth lazily flung atop his shoulder has already slipped off and onto the bar floor.

“Well, how is it? I’m a genius, aren’t I?”

Yuuya puts down the drink, enjoying the cocktail in slow strides in order to savor the flavor (and to avoid getting too intoxicated). Folding his hands together, he resembles one of those models in the newest issue of Bartending Weekly. Sawatari wasn’t sure whether to call it obnoxious or rather attractive. A mixture of both, really.

“I wouldn’t call you a genius—” and he places great emphasis on genius— “but this is quite the impressive drink. It’s sweet, but no overwhelming, with just the right delicate balance of flavors. I’ll definitely have to come back here!”

Sawatari nods to himself, humming and smiling in satisfaction. He’s proud of himself (too proud, really) that another happy customer would come running back to his bar. Unfortunately, in his current state, he fails to notice the faltering smile on Yuuya’s face.

“However, I’m certain that I can make this drink even better than you.” Yuuya slides the drink back towards him, along with the money that would cover the cost. Between two bills, there is a small business card hidden away. “Why don’t you come to my bar sometime and I’ll show you how it’s done?”

Yuuya slides off the barstool, walks through the noisy confines of the center of the bar, and heads outside. Sawatari, all the while, does hear his parting words— and can’t believe that he’s just been challenged to a ‘bar duel.’

—

Weeks pass and that guy— that one guy who challenged him—still plagues his thoughts. Sometimes his customers will ask about that cute guy with the red and green hair who dropped by - “Where did he go?!” or “He’s so cute! Is he your boyfriend?” - to which his cheeks would redden and he’d vehemently deny that accusation. For the fifth time that day, Sawatari sighs after completing another round of glass cleaning. A regular, a girl with pink-haired neatly tied into pigtails, offers a sympathetic chuckle while polishing off her cocktail. He’s quite familiar with the lady, so he feels it’s perfectly acceptable to offer a mildly offended glare.

“What are you laughing at, Hiragi?”

Her laughter ebbs into small giggles before she shakes her head and rolls her shoulders into a small shrug. “He’s still on your mind, isn’t he?”

His cheeks redden again, tosses the cloth aside, and slams his hands on the bar counter. “Absolutely not!”

“You’ve been sighing all day, there’s no hiding it!”

Sawatari leans back and contemplates her words only to push them out again, rolling his eyes and clicking his tongue in frustration. “No no no, I am absolutely not thinking about him! He’s got way too much pride for my liking!”

“And you don’t?” Yuzu teases, sliding her empty glass towards a disgruntled Sawatari. “Listen, I know Yuuya well. He’s not a bad person— He just likes having fun and entertaining people! There’s no problem with that, right?”

Sawatari, stubborn as ever, refuses to admit defeat, but he does mumble in agreement because he too, likes having fun and providing entertainment for his loyal fans. His pride just won’t let him fall, and it’s going to stay that way. With little hesitation, he demands directions to Yuuya’s bar.

Yuzu is more than happy to oblige. In fact, she decides to join him for the fun.

“So what are you gonna do? Storm into his bar and demand you taste his version of the Chocolate Heart?”

“Absolutely!” Sawatari locks up the bar for the evening, putting a note up telling people to head over to the You Show Bar for a wild show tonight. A pause, and Sawatari looks over at Yuzu with a rather surprised look. “How did you know?”

“You’re too predictable.”

Sawatari fails to come up with a snarky response, so he just lets it slide for now. He’ll admit defeat against Yuzu’s sass, just this once.

—

It took him long enough, Yuuya muses, watching Sawatari being pushed into his bar by a familiar face. Ah, he’d nearly forgotten that Yuzu was a regular at both their bars. That didn’t bother Yuuya; in fact he rather liked the friendly competition. Whatever Yuzu was currently planning right now though, he certainly couldn’t deny that he was interested. Hearing Sawatari yell something about a challenge— now this could be great.

“Welcome, Shingo Sawatari— to the You Show Bar!” Yuuya gestures to himself, taking a small bow from behind the counter. “I’ll be your host for the evening, here to provide only the best entertainment!”

Sawatari resists rolling his eyes. Recalling the slogan of this bar, once mentioned by Yuzu: “If I can’t make you smile, drinks are on the house!” then he was guaranteed a free drink. There was absolutely no way this guy could top his cocktail making skills. It was simply incomprehensible.

“Entertainment, huh?” Sawatari wiggles his way out of Yuzu’s grasp and proceeds to make himself comfortable at the bar. There’s a small crowd that’s gathered for the evening, some faces that even Sawatari recognizes as customers from his own bar. They must have read the sign and wanted to witness the fun that was about to begin. Fun… that’s probably how Yuuya would describe it. Sawatari nearly scoffs at that thought.

“You think you can top my Chocolate Heart?”

Yuuya pulls out the items used for the cocktail, barely looking up while Sawatari attempts to show off. He acknowledges the other’s bartending skills, but Yuuya doesn’t honestly care who’s better. He truly just wants to make everyone smile with his drinks, and that includes Sawatari. Not that Sawatari hasn’t smiled before, but those smirks really need to turn into more genuine smiles. So he glances back up at the other, smiling confidently.

“Perhaps, but that’s not the point of my invitation,” Yuuya admits, matter-of-factly, and begins pouring the ingredients together. The aromas of creme de cacao and sweet liquors surround the glass, combining to form a heavenly concoction. A bit of cream - and of course it’s not complete without the single maraschino cherry. Sawatari’s watching the process with utter fascination and concentration, mesmerized with every single artist’s touch on the masterpiece. He’s so immersed in Yuuya’s act that the only way he snaps out of his concentration is the completed cocktail being slid in front of him.

“The point of my invitation was to show you how make others smile with your bartending, Sawatari!”

The explanation is so absurd, Sawatari can’t help but laugh in disbelief. “You’re kidding, right?”

Yuuya frowns, folding his arms out of discontent. He doesn’t see a problem with his explanation.

“Why don’t you just try the drink? You’ll understand what I’m saying.”

Sawatari makes a sound akin to a hushed hiss, but he carefully picks up the full cocktail glass. Bringing his nose close to the rim, he can inhale the wonderful concoction of sweet liquors making up his favorite drink. One cannot judge a drink by its scent alone, so he delicately takes the first long-awaited sip.

Sweet, yet just enough richness. Creamy but not overwhelming. The cream mixes splendidly with the two different sweet liquors, melting together as it hits his tongue. The taste lingers in between sips, the sweetness still oozing over his taste buds and instilling a bubbling sense of happiness within himself. Sawatari isn’t sure what to call this experience, but if this is what heaven is like, then so be it.

After a few sips, Sawatari puts the drink down, closes his eyes, and inhales sharply. Admitting defeat would be smiling, and by offering a genuine smile Yuuya would be absolutely thrilled. In Sawatari’s mind, Yuuya celebrates victory with loads of confetti and people laughing in his face. (In other words, a total exaggeration.) Instead, he opts for a boastful smirk, crossing his arms and sitting up straight.

“It’s alright, I suppose. Nothing to call home about—“

“You drank more than half of it.”

“You… You be quiet now! I was just…” Sawatari looks over at Yuzu, who’s wearing a smile that can only be described as threatening. Suddenly, his face feels exponentially warmer and oh god when did it become so difficult to look Yuuya in the eyes?

“You were just…?”

“Doing a taste test!”

Yuuya raises an eyebrow. To say that Sawatari was being absolutely ridiculous was not an understatement at all. There really was no way around winning him over and getting him to admit his honest opinions, so Yuuya opts for the easiest way out.

“Glad you enjoyed it then!” He exclaims cheerfully, leaning forward on the bar counter, dangerously close to Sawatari’s face. “I’m reaaaaally looking forward to your next visit! I’m sure you’ll love my Chocolate Heart even more the next time around!”

Sawatari’s cheeks redden as he stumbles for a witty response, but to no avail. Since words fail him, he quietly excuses himself, dashing out of the bar in a fit of embarrassment. And without paying.

Yuzu giggles behind her hand, causing Yuuya to look over in confusion.

“What’s so funny?”

“I think he likes you,” She takes a sip of her own drink, before continuing, “And your drink.”

 

Yuuya laughs. “Really? I never would have noticed. Well, either way… I’m sure he’ll be back soon.”

 

As predicted, Sawatari came back within the week, once a week, every week, ordering that sweet drink called the Chocolate Heart.

 

_It is the drink that stole his taste buds…_

 

_And the person who makes it the best…_

 

_Stole his heart._


End file.
